Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application (hereinafter referred to as Kokai) S63-309565 and Kokai H11-140191 disclose an aqueous suspension of cross-linked silicone particles that contains at least cross-linked silicone particles, a surface-active agent, and water. Furthermore, Kokai 2000-281903 describes an aqueous emulsion of oil that contains cross-linked silicone particles. It is suggested in Kokai H5-9409 to add the aforementioned suspension to an aqueous coating composition in order to impart matting properties to a coating film. In Kokai 10-139624 and 10-175816 it is proposed to add the aforementioned suspension to a cosmetic material for improving application properties of the cosmetic material.
The aforementioned suspensions and emulsions may be prepared with the use of non-ionic surface-active agents, anionic surface-active agents, cationic surface-active agents, amphoteric surface-active agents, or surface-active agents prepared from mixtures of the above. The use of non-ionic surface-active agents is advantageous since they ensure better dispersion of silicone particles and oil in cosmetic materials. However, in order to impart stability to the suspension or emulsion, to improve dispersibility thereof in a specific compound, and to reduce adverse affects on the environment, a surface-active agent should be properly selected. For example an alkyl polyether having 12 to 15 carbon atoms is an environmentally hazardous chemical substance, the presence of which in waste has to be limited in compliance with the requirements of PRTR (Pollutant Release and Transfer Register) to specific designated substances. Furthermore, the use of surface-active agents of animal-fat origin, e.g., of those prepared from such raw material as beef tallow, in particular the use of surfactants that contain oleyl groups and cetyl groups, or similar alkyl groups, in cosmetic products is limited by Notification of the Pharmaceutical and Chemical Safety Department of the Ministry of Health and Welfare issued on Dec. 12, 2000 and entitled “On Assurance and Quality of Pharmaceutical and Products Manufactured from Raw Material of Beef or other Animal Origin”.
On the basis of studies aimed at the solution of the above problems the inventors have found that the above described problems can be solved when an aqueous suspension of cross-linked silicone particles or an aqueous emulsion of oil that contains cross-linked silicone particles is used with a surface-active agent in the form of a polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an aqueous suspension of cross-linked silicone particles or an aqueous emulsion of oil that contains cross-linked silicone particles which is characterized by excellent stability and by a reduced adverse affect on the environment and on human health.